Is it necessary to check the stuffing box each spring before we drop our boats in the lake? Is this a simple task or is it best left to a pro? Comments...
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B
Bill O'Donovan
Questions
1. When was the last time replaced? 2. If 3-5 years, is it leaking? Slightly is okay 3. If heavier drips, try tightening 1-3 flats. 4. If that doesn't do it, may need to replace. 5. Best done out of the water, avoid sinking.
1. When was the last time replaced? 2. If 3-5 years, is it leaking? Slightly is okay 3. If heavier drips, try tightening 1-3 flats. 4. If that doesn't do it, may need to replace. 5. Best done out of the water, avoid sinking.
G
Gord May
Yes check the stuffing annually
Yes, check the stuffing annually. Boats that winter "on the hard" tend to dry out the packing. Visually check the Packing Gland every time you're motoring. Normally, I’d replace my packing every 200 Hours (underway, shaft turning), or two years (whichever first). Many others go longer intervals, without much harm (I’m told). As stated, it’s easier to do prior to launching, but I’ve done dozens of re-packs in the water. I don't recall where I previously posted this; but FWIW: PACKING GLAND MAINTENANCE (Stuffing Box): How do you know when to re-pack the stuffing box? Just assume that it needs it now. If the packing is a year old or more, you won't be wasting your time to replace it, since the job is so simple. Over time, the packing dries out, and is worn away by the turning of the shaft. Water gets around the packing, so you tighten down some more on the packing nut. The packing gets smaller and harder, and presses tighter and tighter on the shaft. That nice, soft packing is now hard enough to wear a groove in your propeller shaft. Flax (or other, newer materials) packing is a square plaited material, impregnated with a waxy, oily organic lubricant. It comes in various sizes from 1/8" up to 1/2". To determine the size you need, measure the clearance between the shaft and the inside of the packing nut. Do this as carefully as possible, for having exactly the right size packing makes life easier. Removing the old packing may require some gymnastics. That's why stuffing boxes get neglected, and that's why shafts get worn out. First, back off on the lock nut which holds the stuffing box adjustment. It's only necessary to back off a little. Next, back the packing nut completely off the threaded neck of the stuffing box. The next job is to dig out the old packing. The ideal tool is thin, so that it can be slipped between the shaft and the packing nut. It has a hook on the end, so you can grab onto the old flax packing. And it's soft enough not to score the shaft while you're digging around. Frankly, we've never found that ideal tool. Instead, you can settle on a fairly long thin (slightly pointed) wood stick, or a screwdriver, which will do the job if you're careful. Be sure to dig out all the layers of packing. The last one may be so hard that it's difficult to distinguish from the bronze packing nut. If you've scratched the shaft, or if it's heavily oxidized, it's a good idea to polish the shaft where the packing will rest against it. You can do this with fine silicon carbide (wet or dry) sandpaper, used wet. When the shaft is clean and bright, thoroughly wash it with water to eliminate all traces of abrasive, which could quickly score the shaft if not removed. Then, grease the shaft lightly to make it easier to slide the re-packed nut into position. The packing should be installed in layers, rather than a continuous spiral. The length of each piece of packing is fairly critical. There should be no gap at the ends when the packing is wrapped around the shaft. Use as many layers of packing as will fit in the packing nut and still allow the nut to be threaded onto the neck of the stuffing box (usually 3 laps). Gently force each layer into the packing nut with a wooden stick, being careful not to cut the packing. Stagger the joints (at 120 degree increments) in the layers of packing, so there is no possibility of leaking. When the packing nut is full - there should be a minimum of three layers of flax packing - tighten the packing nut by hand as far onto the neck of the stuffing box as you can. Then, back off on the nut, and check the packing to see that it has seated evenly inside the nut. It may now be possible to add another layer of packing, if the layers have compressed enough. Re-tighten the packing nut by hand. Do not use a wrench or pliers. The packing nut should only be tight enough to stop leaking. Any tighter, and you risk damage to the shaft, and gain nothing. When the boat is launched, immediately check the stuffing box for leaking. If there is leaking, use a wrench to tighten the packing nut, but only until the leaking stops - no more. Then, tighten down on the lock nut, using two wrenches - one to keep the packing nut from being tightened down further, one to tighten the lock nut. Run the engine with the gearbox engaged. A slight drip - one or two drops per minute is fine (exact recommendations vary). Keep an eye on the stuffing box for a while, as it may develop a slight leak as the packing wears in. If a leak develops, tighten slightly - very slightly. There is no hard and fast rule about how frequently to re-pack a stuffing box. On the average sailboat, the engine rarely gets enough hours to actually wear out the packing. But packing does harden over time, and its effectiveness is reduced. You're better off re-packing based on the time since it was last done, rather than the number of hours the engine has been run. Unless your sailboat spends a lot of time under power, you can usually get away with re-packing every other year. BOATU.S.’ COMMISSIONING CHECKLIST To help boaters have a trouble-free summer boating season, BoatU.S., the nation’s largest recreational boating association, has a spring commissioning checklist. Whether you have a power or sailboat, inboard or outboard, following this checklist is an easy way to get ready for the season. The checklist is also available at http://www.BoatUS.com/freebies. BEFORE YOU LAUNCH: __ Inspect and lubricate seacocks. Hoses and hose clamps should be inspected and replaced as necessary. __ Replace deteriorated zincs. __ Inspect prop(s) for dings, pitting and distortion. Make sure cotter pins are secure. Grip the prop and try moving the shaft – if it’s loose, the cutlass bearing may need to be replaced. __ Check to make sure the rudderstock hasn’t been bent. __ Inspect the hull for blisters, distortions and stress cracks. __ Make sure your engine intake sea strainer is free of corrosion and properly secured. __ Check the engine shaft and rudder stuffing boxes for looseness. After the boat is launched, be sure to check these as well as through-hulls for leaks. __ Use a hose to check for deck leaks at ports and hatches. Renew caulk or gaskets as necessary. __ If equipped, ensure that stern drain plug is installed. OUTDRIVES and OUTBOARD ENGINES: __ Inspect rubber outdrive bellows for cracked, dried and/or deteriorated spots (look especially in the folds), and replace if suspect. __ Check power steering and power trim oil levels. Replace worn-out zincs. __ Inspect outer jacket of control cables. Cracks or swelling indicate corrosion and mean that the cable has to be replaced. ENGINES AND FUEL SYSTEMS: __ Inspect fuel lines, including fill and vent hoses, for softness, brittleness or cracking. Check all joints for leaks and make sure all lines are well supported with non-combustible clips or straps with smooth edges. __ Inspect fuel tanks, fuel pumps and filters for leaks. Clamps should be snug and free of rust. Clean fuel filters. __ Inspect cooling hoses and fittings for stiffness, rot, leaks and/or cracking. Make sure they fit snugly and are double-clamped. __ Every few years, remove and inspect exhaust manifold for corrosion. __ Clean and tighten electrical connections, especially both ends of battery cables. Wire-brush battery terminals and fill cells with distilled water. __ Inspect bilge blower hose for leaks. SAILBOAT RIGGING: __ Inspect fittings for cracks and rust. Inspect wire halyards and running backstays for “fishhooks” and rust. __ Remove tape on turnbuckles and lubricate threads, preferably with Teflon. Replace old tape with fresh tape. __ Recaulk through-deck chainplates as necessary (generally, once a decade). TRAILERS: __ Inspect tire treads and sidewalls for cracks or lack of tread and replace as necessary. Check air pressure. Don’t forget the spare! __ Inspect bearings and repack as necessary. __ Test tail and back-up lights. Test winch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect trailer frame for rust. Sand and paint to prevent further deterioration. MISCELLANEOUS: __ Check expiration dates on flares and fire extinguishers. __ Check stove and remote tanks for loose fittings and leaking hoses. __ Inspect bilge pump and float switch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect dock and anchor lines for chafing. __ Update or replace old charts, waterway guides. __ Check shore power cable connections for burns, which indicates the cable needs to be replaced. __ Make sure your boating license and/or registration is up to date. Don’t forget your trailer tags. __ Review your boat insurance policy and update coverage if needed. Be sure you have fuel spill insurance coverage. __ Make sure you have a properly sized and wearable life jackets in good condition for each passenger, including kids and pets. Regards, Gord
Yes, check the stuffing annually. Boats that winter "on the hard" tend to dry out the packing. Visually check the Packing Gland every time you're motoring. Normally, I’d replace my packing every 200 Hours (underway, shaft turning), or two years (whichever first). Many others go longer intervals, without much harm (I’m told). As stated, it’s easier to do prior to launching, but I’ve done dozens of re-packs in the water. I don't recall where I previously posted this; but FWIW: PACKING GLAND MAINTENANCE (Stuffing Box): How do you know when to re-pack the stuffing box? Just assume that it needs it now. If the packing is a year old or more, you won't be wasting your time to replace it, since the job is so simple. Over time, the packing dries out, and is worn away by the turning of the shaft. Water gets around the packing, so you tighten down some more on the packing nut. The packing gets smaller and harder, and presses tighter and tighter on the shaft. That nice, soft packing is now hard enough to wear a groove in your propeller shaft. Flax (or other, newer materials) packing is a square plaited material, impregnated with a waxy, oily organic lubricant. It comes in various sizes from 1/8" up to 1/2". To determine the size you need, measure the clearance between the shaft and the inside of the packing nut. Do this as carefully as possible, for having exactly the right size packing makes life easier. Removing the old packing may require some gymnastics. That's why stuffing boxes get neglected, and that's why shafts get worn out. First, back off on the lock nut which holds the stuffing box adjustment. It's only necessary to back off a little. Next, back the packing nut completely off the threaded neck of the stuffing box. The next job is to dig out the old packing. The ideal tool is thin, so that it can be slipped between the shaft and the packing nut. It has a hook on the end, so you can grab onto the old flax packing. And it's soft enough not to score the shaft while you're digging around. Frankly, we've never found that ideal tool. Instead, you can settle on a fairly long thin (slightly pointed) wood stick, or a screwdriver, which will do the job if you're careful. Be sure to dig out all the layers of packing. The last one may be so hard that it's difficult to distinguish from the bronze packing nut. If you've scratched the shaft, or if it's heavily oxidized, it's a good idea to polish the shaft where the packing will rest against it. You can do this with fine silicon carbide (wet or dry) sandpaper, used wet. When the shaft is clean and bright, thoroughly wash it with water to eliminate all traces of abrasive, which could quickly score the shaft if not removed. Then, grease the shaft lightly to make it easier to slide the re-packed nut into position. The packing should be installed in layers, rather than a continuous spiral. The length of each piece of packing is fairly critical. There should be no gap at the ends when the packing is wrapped around the shaft. Use as many layers of packing as will fit in the packing nut and still allow the nut to be threaded onto the neck of the stuffing box (usually 3 laps). Gently force each layer into the packing nut with a wooden stick, being careful not to cut the packing. Stagger the joints (at 120 degree increments) in the layers of packing, so there is no possibility of leaking. When the packing nut is full - there should be a minimum of three layers of flax packing - tighten the packing nut by hand as far onto the neck of the stuffing box as you can. Then, back off on the nut, and check the packing to see that it has seated evenly inside the nut. It may now be possible to add another layer of packing, if the layers have compressed enough. Re-tighten the packing nut by hand. Do not use a wrench or pliers. The packing nut should only be tight enough to stop leaking. Any tighter, and you risk damage to the shaft, and gain nothing. When the boat is launched, immediately check the stuffing box for leaking. If there is leaking, use a wrench to tighten the packing nut, but only until the leaking stops - no more. Then, tighten down on the lock nut, using two wrenches - one to keep the packing nut from being tightened down further, one to tighten the lock nut. Run the engine with the gearbox engaged. A slight drip - one or two drops per minute is fine (exact recommendations vary). Keep an eye on the stuffing box for a while, as it may develop a slight leak as the packing wears in. If a leak develops, tighten slightly - very slightly. There is no hard and fast rule about how frequently to re-pack a stuffing box. On the average sailboat, the engine rarely gets enough hours to actually wear out the packing. But packing does harden over time, and its effectiveness is reduced. You're better off re-packing based on the time since it was last done, rather than the number of hours the engine has been run. Unless your sailboat spends a lot of time under power, you can usually get away with re-packing every other year. BOATU.S.’ COMMISSIONING CHECKLIST To help boaters have a trouble-free summer boating season, BoatU.S., the nation’s largest recreational boating association, has a spring commissioning checklist. Whether you have a power or sailboat, inboard or outboard, following this checklist is an easy way to get ready for the season. The checklist is also available at http://www.BoatUS.com/freebies. BEFORE YOU LAUNCH: __ Inspect and lubricate seacocks. Hoses and hose clamps should be inspected and replaced as necessary. __ Replace deteriorated zincs. __ Inspect prop(s) for dings, pitting and distortion. Make sure cotter pins are secure. Grip the prop and try moving the shaft – if it’s loose, the cutlass bearing may need to be replaced. __ Check to make sure the rudderstock hasn’t been bent. __ Inspect the hull for blisters, distortions and stress cracks. __ Make sure your engine intake sea strainer is free of corrosion and properly secured. __ Check the engine shaft and rudder stuffing boxes for looseness. After the boat is launched, be sure to check these as well as through-hulls for leaks. __ Use a hose to check for deck leaks at ports and hatches. Renew caulk or gaskets as necessary. __ If equipped, ensure that stern drain plug is installed. OUTDRIVES and OUTBOARD ENGINES: __ Inspect rubber outdrive bellows for cracked, dried and/or deteriorated spots (look especially in the folds), and replace if suspect. __ Check power steering and power trim oil levels. Replace worn-out zincs. __ Inspect outer jacket of control cables. Cracks or swelling indicate corrosion and mean that the cable has to be replaced. ENGINES AND FUEL SYSTEMS: __ Inspect fuel lines, including fill and vent hoses, for softness, brittleness or cracking. Check all joints for leaks and make sure all lines are well supported with non-combustible clips or straps with smooth edges. __ Inspect fuel tanks, fuel pumps and filters for leaks. Clamps should be snug and free of rust. Clean fuel filters. __ Inspect cooling hoses and fittings for stiffness, rot, leaks and/or cracking. Make sure they fit snugly and are double-clamped. __ Every few years, remove and inspect exhaust manifold for corrosion. __ Clean and tighten electrical connections, especially both ends of battery cables. Wire-brush battery terminals and fill cells with distilled water. __ Inspect bilge blower hose for leaks. SAILBOAT RIGGING: __ Inspect fittings for cracks and rust. Inspect wire halyards and running backstays for “fishhooks” and rust. __ Remove tape on turnbuckles and lubricate threads, preferably with Teflon. Replace old tape with fresh tape. __ Recaulk through-deck chainplates as necessary (generally, once a decade). TRAILERS: __ Inspect tire treads and sidewalls for cracks or lack of tread and replace as necessary. Check air pressure. Don’t forget the spare! __ Inspect bearings and repack as necessary. __ Test tail and back-up lights. Test winch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect trailer frame for rust. Sand and paint to prevent further deterioration. MISCELLANEOUS: __ Check expiration dates on flares and fire extinguishers. __ Check stove and remote tanks for loose fittings and leaking hoses. __ Inspect bilge pump and float switch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect dock and anchor lines for chafing. __ Update or replace old charts, waterway guides. __ Check shore power cable connections for burns, which indicates the cable needs to be replaced. __ Make sure your boating license and/or registration is up to date. Don’t forget your trailer tags. __ Review your boat insurance policy and update coverage if needed. Be sure you have fuel spill insurance coverage. __ Make sure you have a properly sized and wearable life jackets in good condition for each passenger, including kids and pets. Regards, Gord
G
Gord May
Yes check the stuffing annually
Yes, check the stuffing (packing gland) annually. Normally, I’d replace my packing every 200 Hours (underway, shaft turning), or two years (whichever first). Many others go longer intervals, without much harm (I’m told). As stated, it’s easier to do prior to launching, but I’ve done dozens of re-packs in the water. Regards, Gord
Yes, check the stuffing (packing gland) annually. Normally, I’d replace my packing every 200 Hours (underway, shaft turning), or two years (whichever first). Many others go longer intervals, without much harm (I’m told). As stated, it’s easier to do prior to launching, but I’ve done dozens of re-packs in the water. Regards, Gord
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